In a country bedevilled by rampant criminality, a woman in Mpumalanga chose to fake a hijacking. Antoinette Chiloane (36) from Bushbuckridge lied under oath that she was hijacked while travelling in her Volkswagen Polo in Saselani.  Her alleged hijacking triggered a massive manhunt as people searched for her. The sympathy the woman enjoyed will no doubt turn to scorn as thousands of concerned citizens realise that she had allegedly lied about the whole ordeal.

SHE LIED AND SAID SHE WAS FORCED INTO A BOOT

In her false statement, Chiloane apparently told the police that she was accosted by three kidnappers who pointed firearms at her. She went further to claim that the alleged assailants forced her into the boot of her car before speeding off. Chiloane told the police that the kidnappers eventually dropped her off at Hlamalani where she was under guard by one of the hijackers who allegedly left her alone. Following the fake hijacking, Chiloane later reported the case to the police.

CAR FOUND WITH STOLEN GOODS

Selvy Bokala, the spokesperson for the Mpumalanga police confirmed that Chiloane's car was found in Acornhoek loaded with goods which were allegedly stolen from a hijacked truck. The hijackers fled the scene, leaving the vehicle unattended. As the discrepancies in fake hijacking manifested, Chiloane was then taken for further investigation until she disclosed that she faked her hijacking. Chiloane eventually confessed that she voluntarily offered her boyfriend the car for the planned delivery truck hijacking.

BOYFRIEND STILL ON THE RUN

She was arrested and made a brief appearance on October at the Bushbuckridge Magistrate's court where she faces charges of perjury and defeating the ends of justice. Chiloane was released on a R3000 bail and is expected to make her second appearance on November 07.The suspect's boyfriend and his accomplices are still on the run.

DO NOT REPORT FAKE CASES

Provincial police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Daphney Manamela welcomed the arrest and warned community members not to report false cases.She said "On its own, such reports deprive other community members who need services from the police assistance.' South Africa has been inundated with cases of fake hijackings, most recently the case of a woman who allegedly fabricated a hijacking and kidnapping.The woman reported the case at the Protea Glen Police Station in Soweto after posting about her apparent ordeal on social media. In her statement given to the police, she said her vehicle was taken by unknown men in Mohlakeng, Randfontein, who put her inside the boot and drove around with her during the night. A team comprising senior detectives, crime intelligence members and other police response units worked throughout to locate the "hijacked woman". However, they then quickly established discrepancies in her statement and arrested her for perjury, defeating the ends of justice and fraud. Gauteng police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela said "Members of the public are cautioned to refrain from reporting false cases, pushing police to deploy resources that should rather be channelled at combating genuine serious and violent crimes."